Applicator for coating liquids



Oct. 26, 1954 G. G. M. DEcHAUx 2,692,402

APPLICATOR FOR COATING LIQUIDS Filed Sept. 27, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /N VEA/TDR ATTY.

Oct. 26, 1954 Filed sept. 27. 1949 WIEN G. G. M. DECHAUX APPLICATOR FOR COATING LIQUIDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GTE URQEK 64E/EL MAR/E DEC/7A Y ATTV,

Patented Oct. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims priority, application France December 27", 1948' 5- Claims.

rlihis invention relates to a device for the application of a coating liquid, such as a paint, a varnish andthe like in the form ofv thin layers r films onto a surface by causing an applicator to travel on a strip or band of. the surface under treatment.

By means of this device a continuous primary lm of desired width, composition and viscosity isv applied onto a surface expelling objectionable mediums, such as air and' water, from between the film and the surface while pressing the primary iilm against the same to cause a mutual adherence, applying onto the primary nlm immediately after the pressure applicationl a second continuous iilm, which has the same width and the same, or a dii-ferent composition than the primary lm, and controlling the thickness of the second. lm to. cause the latter tov adhere to the primary lm.

The. invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, more or less diagrammatically, several modifications of the same.

In. the drawings:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic showing off a painting device according tothe present invention;

Fig. 2 is a detailed elevational View, in crosssecticn, of a modification of the device diagrammatically shownin Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view, partly in. section, corresponding to Fig. 2, with partsl broken away for the sakeof clarity;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectionaly View, with a part broken away,. of another form of painting device according tothe invention;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a form ofA the spreader;

Fig. 6 is a. perspective view showing another form of spreader;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic showing of a further form of a paint applying apparatus designed in accordance with the invention.

Referring first to Fig. 1, it will be seen that they liquidw paint Il under pressure flows into a container 4 through a flexible pipe 2 provided with at stop or regulation valve 3r that may be adapted to, serve asv a control-handle.

A vertical spreader 6 is inserted intoV theA bottom ofv the container 4. The lower end 1 of the spreader 6 projecting; from the container 4 is halfcylindrcal in shape; it is intended to be applied against they surface under treatment 8 for the purpose. to appli,1 to this surface a priming film oit paint 9, the latterbeing formed when ther apparatus, is; advanced.v in the direction. of4 the arrow I9, the liquid paint owing under pressure from the container 4 down through-- holes II, made in the container bottom ahead of the spreader 6, into a space I2 defined by said bottom blade and a resilient blade lf3l having, its upper edge aiiixed to the container 4 and its lower edge resiliently applied against the spreader 6 or its mounting, and fromA said space I2 down onto the surface 8 through asuitable passageway made for the paint, in close proximity to the surface 8, between the spreader 5 or its mounting andthe lower edge of the resilient blade I3; the formation and spreading of the priming iilm` takes place concurrently withl the displacement of the apparatus in the direction of arrow I9.

Behind the spreader 6 the liquid paint under pressure I Hows down through holes Il' into a spacek I5 defined similarly to the space I2 by a second resilient blade I6, which is more or less removed away from the spreader 6, whose lower edge I'I, extending parallel with the surface under treatment 8, permits the liquid paint owing down from the space I5 to coat the priming film 9 spread, as above stated, by the spreader 6 and regulates the total thickness I8 of the two superposedlms.

The width of the two films may be controlled by providing the spaces I2 and I5 with suitable end Walls (not shown.) parallel to the plane of the paper, or by the factors influencing the ow of the liquid paint through the said spaces, such as the number and sizesof holes II and I4 and the location, nature and elasticity of the blades I3 and I6.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows: The apparatus being displaced in the direction of the arrow I9 and its spreader 6 being applied against the surface 8, the liquid paint iiowing down from the space I2 against the spreader 6 is laminated between the spreader surface 'I and the surface 8, the air or other ambient medium being expelled forward, so that the adherence of the priming film 9 to its support is fully assured.

The elastic deformation of the spreader end 'I enables application ofv the paint even onto projections from the surface 8, such as rivet heads or variations in normal thicknesses. Since the space I5 is i'llled with liquid paint, the entrance of air or of anotherfambient medium is prevented and the iinal layer of paint takes the form of a film I8, incorporating the priming lm 9, the total thickness ofwhich is regulated by the distance between the edge I1 of resilient blade I6 and the surface 8. The deformationk of theblade I6, particularly near its edge I'I, is such as to per- :pose itself between the two films.

3 mit the latter to pass over projections and rivets extending from the surface 8.

In Figs. 2 and 3 there is shown in detail a modification of the apparatus of Fig. l. The

spreader 6 has a cylindrical shape and is inserted into a cylindrically shaped housing welded at -2I to the container 4 composed of two cylindrical parts 22 and 23, with their axes respectively parallel and perpendicular to the surface 8 to be painted. The resilient blades I3 and I6 are aixed, by means of screws such as 25, to the cylinder 22 having its ends closed by means of walls 24. The holes II and I4 are conveniently spaced along the cylinder 22 and adapted to direct the liquid paint I to the spaces I2 and I5, respectively, and therefrom along the spreader at 3| and 32 to form the priming iilm 9, adhering to the surface 8, and the second lm I8, of a thickness regulated by the lower edge I1 of blade I6, by which this priming film is coated immediately.

The flow of the liquid paint I is controlled by a mechanism described in the following: A valve disc 33 is mounted on the central extension 34 of a bar 35 diametrally affixed to the cylinder 22 by means of screws 25. The seat for this valve disc is disposed upon the bottom 3l of a cylindrical part 38 topped by a part 39 screwed thereon as at 4I. By downwardly screwing the part 39 it is possible to regulate the compression of a spring 42 that tends to apply the valve disc 33 against its seat 36.

The valve disc 33 is centered by means of ribs 43 and its stroke, with respect to the seat 36, is

limited by the abutment 45 adapted to act upon the upper end of the valve rod 44.

The part 39 is pierced with liquid paint feed openings 46 and has its upper portion threaded as at 41 to receive a fitting 48 (Fig. 2) adapted for connection with the corresponding end of a flexible pipe (not shown) intended to supply the apparatus with liquid paint under pressure from a feed tank not shown.

The cylindric part is slidably guided by ribs 49 arranged in the cylinder 23.

A screw-threaded collar 5I and a U-shaped annular leather packing 52 provide a tight joint for the passage of the cylindrical part 38 outside of the ribs 49, the part 38 being prevented from rotation by means of lugs 53 (Fig. 2) rigidly connected with the cylinder 23.

The operation of this apparatus is, as follows.

'When the apparatus is applied by the operator against the surface under treatment 8 with a sufcient force to deform the spring 42, the liquid paint passes into the cylinder 22 and, through the holes II and I4, into the spaces I2 and I5. When the apparatus is then moved in the direction of the arrow I9, the spreader 6' causes the priming lm 9 to adhere to the surface 8, while the edge II causes a second lm to immediately coat the priming film 9, whereby a compound layer of paint I8 is produced whose thickness E is regulated by the edge il, without the air or other medium being adapted to inter- In this way perfect coating is obtained by a single passage of the apparatus.

Owing to a flexible feed pipe, the liquid paint under pressure may be fed into the apparatus with the aid of any suitable outside feeding means. Such an apparatus is particularly suitable for painting large surfaces or for an extensive serial work.

Shown in Fig. 4 is a form of painting apparatusin which a limited quantity of liquid paint is con* ned alone in the container 4 which here is cylindro-spherical in shape, the cylinder 6I being open at its top so as to receive a corresponding cylindro-spherical piston 62 directed by outside guides 63 and tightened by a packing ring 64.

The lower half-sphere 65 carries,as in Fig. 2, the spreader 6' and two resilient blades I3, I6. The spreader 6 is inserted into the housing 5 having a length corresponding to that of the blades I3, I6.

rI'he bottom 65 of container 4 has paint outlets I I, I4 and may be provided with a filtering wirescreen 66.

paint in the container 4 being set under pressure by the operator acting upon the piston 62 byv means of a handle 61, of which only the connection with the piston 62A is shown in the drawing.

The pressure exerted by the operator causes the spreader 6 to press against the surface 8; at the same time the apparatus is displaced by the operator in the direction of the arrow I9.

Diagrammatically shown in Fig. 5 is a cylindrical form of spreader for use in painting apparatus, such for example as those shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. In this case the spreader has the shape of a thick plate 1I, made for example from soft porous rubber, disposed around a suitable core 'I0 and pasted onto the inner surface of the cylindrically shaped housing 5.

Instead of being pasted, a spreader of this kind may be mounted on bearings so as to rotate when spreading the priming lm. The experience, however, teaches that the rotating spreaders, when passing over rivets and the like, are actually caused to rotate. So use will be made, preferably, of non-rotating spreader members like those described hereinabove.

An advantageous form of spreader is shown in Fig. 6. I-Iere the spreader has again the form of a thick plate 'II' which is made from elastic and deformable material, such as soft porous rubber, but is U-shaped and confined in a parallelopipedlike housing 12 carried by the container 4.

To render the operative surface of the spreader smoother, the outer wall of the rubber 'I I is provided with a lining diagrammatically indicated by a dotted line 13 in the drawing, said lining being tted into the housing 72. This lining may be made from any suitable iiexible material of convenient thickness, such as nylon or other plastic material. Of course, this material should have the requisite mechanical qualities at points of its contact with the coating materials applied by the apparatus.

Diagrammatically shown in Fig. '7 is a form of painting apparatus in which two dierent coating materials are used, namely an adhesive and a paint, for example.

The container 4 is divided by a center partition 82 into two compartments 83 and 84. Each of these compartments is pressure-supplied with a coating liquid supplied through the feed pipes 85, 86.

The various forms and parts of apparatus hereinabove described and shown should not be construed in a limiting sense, as the same may be modified in various particulars without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A unidirectionally traveling device for the successive spreading of superposed coatings to a surface comprising a `container for the accom-- modation of at least one coating liquid, at least The operation of this apparatus is analogous to the one described above, the liquid one tube attached to said container for the pressure supply of said coating liquid into the container, a resiliently deformable spreader for the distribution or^ two successive layers of said coating liquid to cover said surface, said spreader being ixedly located in the center portion of the container bottom and downwardly projecting from the same, openings in the bottom of said container for the downward passage of the coating liquid simultaneously onto the advance and the opposite rear face of said spreader, resilient guide blades fastened to the bottom portion of said container and downwardly projecting from the same towards the surface to be covered in order to direct said coating liquid onto the latter, said guide blades forming an advance blade and a rear blade and being located in front of the advance face and in the rear of the opposite rear face of said spreader being bent with their ends towards the saine and orrning therewith pas sages for the delivery of the coating liquid onto said surface, whereby a first layer of coating liquid applied to said surface is spread by the passage of said spreader, a second layer of coating liquid is immediately applied on top of said first layer and mutual adherence is secured be tween said two layers and said surface.

2. In a unidirectionally traveling device according to claim 1 wherein the bottom or the container for the coating liquid has an upwardly extending center bend for the accommodation of the upper portion of the correspondingly shaped spreader.

3. A unidirectionally traveling device according to claim 1 wherein the advance blade is shorter than the rear blade.

4. In a unidirectionally traveling device according to claim 1 a vertical wall in said container to divide the same into adjacent advance and rear compartments and supply tubes for the coating liquids attached to each compartment.

5. In a unidirectionally traveling device according to claim 1 wherein the passage between the advance blade and the spreader is smaller than the passage between the rear blade and the spreader.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 403,218 Rose May 14, 1889 908,915 Weber Jan, 5, 1909 983,999 Howe Feb. 14, 1911 1,000,081 Erwin Aug. 8, 1911 1,221,587 Pratt Apr. 3, 1917 1,352,122 yEngel Sept. 7, 1920' 1,459,071 Mumaw June 19, 1923 '1,469,708 Walters Oct. 2, 1923 2,140,009 Hand Dec. 13, 1938 2,488,655 Bennett Nov. 22, 1949 2,500,306 Brodsky Mar. 14, 1950 FOREGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,224 Great Britain of 1910 9,336 Great Britain Apr. 24, 1903 126,152 Switzerland July 16, 1928 154,760 Switzerland Aug. 1, 1932 240,179 Great Britain July 29, 1926 800,460 France May 4, 1936 

